MIKE GANTER, QMI Agency

TORONTO - Toronto Raptors president and general manager Masai Ujiri went from in the clear to coughing up $25,000 for his poor choice of words at a Raptors pep rally on Saturday.

Initially on Monday, the league revealed that both commissioner Adam Silver and league president of basketball operations Rod Thorn had spoken with Ujiri and decided his clean track record and the fact that his public use of a profanity came at a pep rally as opposed to a press conference warranted a warning and nothing more severe.

But after thinking it over for the next few hours, Silver had a change of heart and issued the fine. He was concerned anything less was sending the wrong message to the public and its fan base.

Ujiri’s speech to fans gathered outside the Air Canada Centre in Maple Leaf Square prior to Game 1 ended with an obscene four-letter salute to the borough of Brooklyn as Ujiri attempted to fire up his fans.

Ujiri apologized for using a profanity, particularly to the kids and families who might have heard it, but stood by the "F--- Brooklyn" message as he addressed the media during halftime of Saturday’s game.

“You know how I feel,” Ujiri said. “I don’t like them (the Nets) but I apologize.”